1. Field of Invention
The invention relates to the field of micro-sampling for the collection of in situ material such as human tissue, field samples for related environmental examination, crime scene sampling, or other related materials or material prepared on a substrate and then sampled such as dried blood on a blood card. Sampling regimes are designed to extract a micro-sample from a larger source sample material. The micro-samples extracted may be chemically analyzed for the purposes of DNA analysis, nondestructively analyzed by placement on the appropriate spectra generating sample stage or observed under microscopic conditions.
2. Description of Prior Art
Sampling devices are conventionally used to extract samples from materials such as paper, cloth, wood, tissues and the like. In one arrangement, a sampling device has a tubular sleeve forming a cutting edge at one end. A sample is obtained by advancing the sleeve into the sample source. The sleeve may then be gently rocked to separate the sample from the source, thereby retaining the sample in the cutting sleeve. The sample is then removed from the cutting sleeve using a second tool in the form of a pick or probe. In one prior art arrangement, the cutting sleeve provides an auxiliary opening extending along the length of the sleeve to facilitate removal of the sample. The extracted sample may then be placed in a receptacle, or may be mounted on a support.
Removal of sample from the cutting sleeve in either method as described above, presents a number of problems that may affect the integrity of the sample. Moreover, sample handling may present potential health hazards to the technician working with the sample. The process of picking a sample from the cutting sleeve is inefficient and time consuming. The conventional methods described above expose technicians to unnecessary health risks through the handling of sharp cutting instruments to extricate the retained sample material from the cutting sleeve. The sample material can also be partially lost, dropped or contaminated consequently requiring further sampling or the inability to do further sampling.